Sydney: Tech giant Apple, fresh out of long-running legal with Samsung over several patent and design rights claims, has now been accused of stealing designs by Switzerland''s national rail company.

The Swiss Federal Railways (SSB) has accused Apple of stealing the look of its station clocks for the iOS 6 operating system used by iPhone and iPad devices.

The designs of both firms have a round clock face with black indicators except for the second hand, which is red.

“We are proud that this icon of clock design is being used by a globally successful company. We''ve approached Apple and told them that the rights for this clock belong to us,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Reto Kormann, a spokesman for the rail firm, as saying.

Kormann said the Apple design was 'identical' to the one designed by the rail company in 1944, adding that SBB would seek an 'amicable agreement' with Apple that could see the clock design used in return for a licence fee.